A Dying Breed
by Smile Life Away
Summary: On the day that their children go to Hogwarts the old Slytherins reunite. But who have they become.
1. Ms Pansy Parkinson

**I.**

The letter – addressed to a _Ms. Pansy Parkinson –_came by way of an owl that looked as though one more flight would surely kill her.

Pansy Parkinson – the maiden name she had re-adopted after her recent divorce from a Muggle in a scandalous turn of events – stared at the cream envelope and the name scribbled on the back flap: _Daphne Nott_ before tossing it to the side. Whatever it said, she was not planning on reading it. Besides, Daphne's last invitation – to dinner – had been positively dreadful, at least for Pansy whose _ex-Muggle husband_ was the main topic of conversation. She'd avoided all questions that time, and ushered her daughter out as soon as possible, but she doubted she'd be so lucky the next time.

"Mummy," the voice of Primula – her eleven year old daughter – distracted her from her thoughts. "Do you think that I could get a cat before I go to Hogwarts tomorrow?"

"I thought you wanted an owl," Pansy glanced at the clock on the wall as she spoke and felt a blistering headache coming on – the moment she realized there was less than three hours to finish getting everything ready for the next day.

"I did, but I think a cat would be much better company." The girl insisted.

"Well," she turned around to her daughter resting a hand on the cool marble counter top. "I suppose so – provided you still write me."

"Of course I'll write you mummy," she smiled easily.

"Okay then," Pansy's own smile was a bit forced. "Go get dressed and we'll leave as soon as you're ready."

Primula's hazel eyes sparkled and – brushing away a strand of dark hair that fallen out of her pony tail – she started towards her room only to pause halfway.

"Mummy," she started and stuffed her hands into her Muggle jeans. "Is daddy coming to see me off tomorrow?"

Pansy froze at the question. Her ex-husband, Alec Davison, was out of the country on business. She doubted he'd pick up the telephone if she called him, though he probably would if he thought it was Primula, and there was no way he'd ever agree to show up at King's Cross to see _their _daughter off. He'd dealt with magic during their marriage, but now that it was over he made it no secret his dislike for witches, wizards and magic alike. Needless to say he hadn't been particularly thrilled to learn Primula had inherited her mother's ability though he dealt with it in a calm and rational way, which involved taking a job offer that had him out of the country writing news articles for most of the year.

"No, I don't think so, he's working." She explained with a weak smile. "You know how much he has to travel for work. But I'm sure he wants to be there." She lied.

"Yeah, sure," Primula turned around and, staring at the ground, made her way to her bedroom.

Pansy reached for the telephone – one of the things Alec had taught her to use – and started to dial his cell phone number wishing she knew a charm that would change the Caller ID on the receivers end. But, unfortunately, wizards had no use for telephones.

It rang _one-two-three_ times before-

"Hello," the voice on the other end sounded reluctant. "I really can't talk right now. James and I are leaving to meet the president in about five minutes so unless this is -"

"Primula wants you at the train station." She interrupted and waited for the phone to click. It always did once he realized that it was Pansy and not his daughter on the phone.

Instead there was simply silence on the other line.

"Alec -"

"I'm in Washington D.C. and you're in London. I can't exactly fly in tomorrow morning and fly out. This is the biggest story since the -"

"I'll come and get you before we leave in the morning you'll be back in ten minutes."

Again there was silence, and she knew he was calculating how impossible it would be for him to do what she was suggesting. Of course he'd consider all the outrageous possibilities: _would she start a tornado and sweep him up in it, would she put on a tall black hat and ride a broom across the skies to where he was cackling as she went, or maybe – if he was creative – he'd think she would arrive in a bright pink bubble and call herself "Pansy the good witch from London."_ All would be completely absurd.

"What?" He practically yelled into the receiver which warranted a soft _"are you okay, Alec," _from a man in the background, probably James Barnes – his co-worker and best friend.

"You heard me,"

"That…that doesn't make any sense." There was movement and then a shuffling of papers.

"It's _Apparition_," she explained but he wasn't listening anymore.

"_James, get my notes for me…I know I said don't touch them…they're in that green folder do you see it? I've got your laptop bag….yeah." _There was more scrambling. "Tell Primula I'm sorry I'm really busy. Just, well I'll write her." With that he hung up the phone.

"You need an owl to get letters to Hogwarts_._" She said into the dead receiver before hanging up as well.

"I'm ready, mummy." Primula was standing behind her in a light jacket.

Pansy glanced out the window and, seeing clear skies, she grabbed her wallet and groaned at the sight.

"I'm going to have to convert money when we get to Diagon Alley," she informed her daughter. "All right, let's go, to the fireplace."

"Can't we take the car?" She asked.

"And where are we going to park the car?" She asked placing a hand on her hip.

"You could shrink it," she pointed out as if it was obvious.

"Floo powder or side-along Apparition. Your choice."

"The bus?"

"Floo powder it is, now, into the fireplace."

With a glance backwards to make sure her mother was serious, Primula walked to the fireplace and took the powder her mother held out for her.

"Diagon Alley!" She yelled loudly. In a rush of green smoke she disappeared.

The phone rang, but Pansy ignored it and Dissaparated into thin air.


	2. To Diagon Alley

**Thanks to XHarryxGinnyxloveX for betaing**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed :)**

**Disclaimer: The only things I own are my OCs for now Alec Davison, Primula Parkinson Carl Nott etc. Everything else belongs to Rowling**

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**II.**

The street was buzzing with parents rushing to buy last minute supplies for their first years. Appearing beside her daughter, Pansy grabbed Primula's hand – ignoring her protests – and led her to the Magical Menagerie. The shop was packed with young witches and wizards picking out pets and, of course, the animals themselves, who sat in cages lining every inch of the walls.

Primula, forgetting about her resolve to get a cat, rushed forward to a cage where an orange and yellow snake sat, ignored by the other children.

"Mummy," she called as Pansy slowly made her way over. "Isn't it beautiful? Do you think I could -"

"A cat, an owl, or a toad," Pansy quoted the Hogwarts letter and pointed to the wall of cats. "Over there."

Primula sulked over to the wall of cats and Pansy crossed her arms in front of her chest watching as the girl began to observe the possibilities, pausing finally outside the cage of an albino kitten with bright pink eyes.

"Pansy?" The voice of Daphne caused her to curse under her breath and, forcing a smile onto her face, she turned to the woman who was holding onto the hand of a sullen looking boy with dark hair and green eyes.

"Hi, Daphne," letting go of her son's hand she gave Pansy a quick hug. "You remember Carl?" She motioned to the boy.

"Yeah, of course," Pansy smiled at the little boy and then shot a sideways glance at her daughter.

"Mum, can I go look at owls?" Carl spoke up, glancing at a coal black owl.

"Yes, yes, go ahead, but don't wander. we're meeting your cousin at Flourish & Blotts."

"Yeah, okay," he darted away as if afraid that by delaying too long the bird would be taken by someone else.

"Did you get my letter?" Daphne asked smiling.

"Oh, yeah, I didn't have a chance to open it though." She lied, which Daphne thankfully didn't notice.

"Well, I'll just tell you then. You know how the kids leave for Hogwarts in the morning. Well, I'm planning a little get together for afterwards." She explained turning quickly to make sure Carl was still by the owls. "Everyone's invited. Millie is going to be there, and Tracey, and Theodore has reluctantly agreed to come, but he was never one for large groups." She paused to catch her breath. "Oh, and Goyle might show up with his little boy, Galvin, after his older son goes off. His wife might come too. If we're lucky Blaise might show up but I doubt it. Ever since – well never mind – I'm trying to get Draco to come. But you know how Draco is; he'll probably not come just because I want him there. Anyway it's going to be so much fun and you have to -"

"Mummy," Carl came back to his mother's side then. "Can I have the black one?" He pointed to the owl in the corner.

"Yes, yes," she handed him a bag of galleons, then ushered him away. "So you have to come." She finalized.

Pansy turned, wishing her daughter would come running over so she had an excuse to walk away. "I don't think I can, Daphne, I'm sorry."

"Oh, come on. It will be just like old times."

"Except we're all old, we have kids, and it isn't." Pansy responded which only warranted a deep frown from Daphne, who remained as pretty as she ever had. "I'll come if Draco comes." It was a guaranteed way out of it. Draco Malfoy would never come to one of Daphne's _get-togethers, _not unless he was dragged there by force.

"Fine, Draco will come," Daphne challenged her. "Tori'll make him."

"You're forgetting something, Daffy." Pansy fell back into her casual banter that had dominated their relationship at Hogwarts.

"What?" The blond girl smirked.

"You won't be able to get Astoria to come either." She stated confidently.

"Watch me!" Daphne challenged, "I'll owl you when he agrees, and then I'll see you at my house three o' clock…Come on Carl!" She called and the boy came to her side clutching onto his owl cage with a bright smile. "Say goodbye," she instructed him.

"Bye, Ms. Parkinson."

When the two left, Pansy rolled her eyes and walked over to her daughter who was staring at two cats intently. The first was the albino kitten she'd taken an interest in before, and the second a fat orange cat.

"Which should I get?" She asked turning around to her mother with a deep frown – as if the situation was severely stressful.

"Get that one," she pointed to the albino kitten. "It's younger, it will last longer."

"But then I can't name it Garfield." The girl complained.

"Gar-"

"It's a movie I watched when I was at daddy's apartment. Garfield is orange."

"Well, why don't you name the white one Garfield?" Pansy suggested. "That way you'll surprise everyone."

Primula smiled at the suggestion. "Yeah, I want that one then."

"Okay," Pansy picked up the cage and walked over to the counter with it.

Three minutes later they were walking out the door.

oOoOoOoOo

Daphne found Scorpius alone in Flourish & Blotts with a bag of galleons clutched in his hand.

"Where's your mother?"

"She had to go to work." He did not seem particularly angry, but he was frowning rather deeply. "And father was…busy." He finished.

Daphne sighed and picked up the pile of books on the floor beside Scorpius. "Are these the only ones you need?"

"Yes," he answered her coolly and his grey eyes darkened.

"Let's go buy them, then." She motioned him up to the counter and he went willingly; almost gladly, as if he was happy to get away from his overly concerned aunt.

"Mum, can we go to the Leaky Cauldron before we go home?" Carl asked for the purpose of taking his mother's attention away from his cousin.

"No, I don't think so." She didn't turn to face him as she spoke and instead continued to stare at the blond boy who was purchasing his books.

It was not really fair to Scorpius that Astoria seemed to value her career above everything, and Draco was a – well, he only really seemed to care about himself. The only time they had both really paused to acknowledge that their son cared that they were never there was when he'd fallen off his broom and broken his leg. Or rather, Carl had pushed him off his broom and he'd broken his leg. Though it only took a simple healing spell to fix the broken bone, both of his parents had stayed glued to him for a week. Daphne had a feeling Scorpius had milked the pain for the attention, but he never admitted it. Instead he had punched Carl in the nose.

"Have you gotten your robes yet?" She asked him when he came back.

"Yes, my _mother_ helped me pick them out."

Daphne ignored his stress on the word mother. "Is there anything else you need? Do you have an owl?"

"Yes. I've gotten everything else." His voice became phlegmatic and, nodding, Daphne shrunk his books and placed them in her bag.

"We ought to get home then," she pointed out.

"Scorpius is coming?" Carl suddenly became irritated.

"Yes, he is."

"No, I'm not." Scorpius's voice didn't change, but a wave of hurt replaced the darkness in his grey eyes. "I'm going to my house. My father's at the house."

"No," Daphne clarified. "Your father is with your Uncle Theodore. He won't be back for a few hours; you're coming home with us."

"Can't I go to my grand-"

"No, your mother wouldn't like it."

"She won't care." Scorpius argued as they reentered Diagon Alley. "She wouldn't care if I got hit by the Knight Bus. Not as long I don't take her away from her patients."

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy!"

The torrent of scolding that followed did not change the boy's mood, nor did it make Carl happier that his cousin was coming for a visit - or convince Daphne that defending her sister was the right thing to do.

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**A/N: I have a definite reason for throwing in the last scene revolving around Daphne, Carl and Scorpius. **

**Please Review :)**


	3. Snakes, Trains and Phonecalls

**Thanks to XHarryxGinnyxloveX for betaing**

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**The room sat in the deepest corner of Theodore Nott's mansion. The walls were a deep green and snakes were etched into the half-pillars built into the four corners. In the center of the back wall was a portrait – a portrait of the original Death Eaters, Theodore's father included. It was a portrait that could be easily flipped around for a much more _politically correct_ one; not that anyone would be able to find the room. Not unless they already knew where it was. Only Theodore ever used it, and he brought only those he could trust to visit, a very small number of people including…

"No," Draco Malfoy put down the glass of fire-whiskey and pushed back his chair. "It's impossible."

From the other side of the desk, Theodore Nott placed his hands down onto a stack of papers and leaned forward. "I need you, Draco, I need your support."

"The ministry is still watching me," his voice dropped to a whisper. "If I even look at a Muggle suspiciously I'll be on my way to Azkaban."

"Don't be dramatic, Draco. No one is watching you. I've been assured no one is watching you."

"Assured?" The blond man sat up straighter, not sure how to interpret that word.

"Yes, assured." Nott said simply. "I'm not advocating an organization to overthrow the ministry. I'm simply acting in the best interest of our children."

"Our children?"

"Merlin, Draco, has the war made you soft? We must fight to retain the meaning of _pureblood._ If we don't then…well then your son will think it's perfectly fine to marry a Mudblood."

Malfoy didn't move. Of course, he had intended to stand up when Nott first suggested a secret organization for pureblooded boys, but now he was frozen in his seat.

"I don't know, Theo. What did Daphne say?"

"She doesn't know. Your father knows, and your father approves. And that's it, Draco, no one else. We're a small group."

"The aurors will come after you."

"No they won't," Nott sighed. "We're not starting a violent organization. We just want a –"

"Secret group to steer our boys in the pureblood direction."

"You were listening."

"And now I've stopped." This time he did stand up and started for the door. "I can't, Theo."

"Have you changed? Are you a Mudblood lover now?"

"No. But I'm going to give my son the chance to be one."

When the door closed behind Draco, Theodore sighed and leaned back in his chair reaching for the bottle of fire-whiskey. He managed to get it to his lips easily and drank straight from the bottle, magically refilling it until his mind went fuzzy and all he could see were colors. Green and silver, red and gold, blue and bronze, yellow and black all dancing and fighting and…

**III.**

Pansy woke up to the sound of incessant knocking on her bedroom door, and the yells of her daughter.

"Mummy, wake up! We have to go! It's nine-thirty and I haven't eaten! Mummy!"

Scrambling to a sitting position, Pansy opened her eyes to look at the bleary image on the clock. True to her daughter's words it was nine-thirty in the morning.

"Coming!" She yelled back and climbed out of the bed.

Primula was waiting outside the door in a pair of jeans and a burgundy sweater, her kitten in the crook of her arm and an impatient frown on her face. The moment she saw her mother she jumped into action and started towards the kitchen throwing open the cabinets and motioning to various articles of food.

"Mummy," she began pulling out a box of cereal. "Why don't other families have refrigerators and telephones and stuff like that?"

"Hmm…oh…well your father does." She pulled out a pan from under the stove and a carton of eggs from the refrigerator.

"Yeah, but he's a _Muggle_." She stressed, "Mrs. Nott doesn't have one."

"Well, most wizards don't." She explained turning on the burner and cracking an egg on the pan. "But most Muggle houses come with it."

"So, basically, we have Muggle appliances because we live in a Muggle house and you use them so I'll be well-rounded, but you do most stuff with your wand." She poured milk into the flakes of cereal.

"And _what _made you come up with that?"

"I heard you talking to daddy when he came to pick me up last month." The girl shrugged and put a spoonful of flakes in her mouth as Pansy put a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her.

"I don't remember any of those words ever coming out of my mouth." Taking a cup out of the pantry she summoned a bottle of apple juice and – quickly pouring it – put that in front of her daughter as well.

"It was implied." Primula stated and took a drink.

"Implied?" Grabbing a cold bagel for herself she sat down at the table opposite her daughter. "Well, I suppose I'll have to watch my tongue then." She took a bite.

The girl, lowering her spoon, switched to a fork and began to lift eggs into her mouth. "Mummy, do you think daddy will write me while I'm in school?"

"Of course he will, don't worry about it." Pansy assured her and –standing up- kissed her daughter's head before rushing off to her bedroom to get dressed. "When I get back, you need to be ready to leave." She informed Primula and closed the door behind her.

Summoning a quill and a piece of paper she scribbled a quick note to herself –_ buy Alec an owl _– before throwing open her closet to find an appropriate robe to wear. This was one day where Muggle clothes simply wouldn't do.

With a clatter, Daphne's dying owl came flying through her bedroom window and crashed on the bed. Pansy took the note and read it quickly.

_Pansy,_

_I win! Draco's coming. See you later today._

_Daphne_

Groaning she grabbed a quill and scribbled: _Buy a new owl – bef_ore sending it off. She would never put her hopes in the Malfoys again.

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They made it to Platform 9 ¾ with a few minutes to spare. Thankfully, no one had stopped to speak to her. More specifically, thankfully Daphne hadn't stopped to speak to her. She'd passed all of her old friends already – Daphne, Millicent, Tracey, even Goyle – all of whom would be at Daphne's "festivities" but they were all too busy with their own children, or in Daphne's case, sobbing, to notice anything going on around them.

Pansy ushered Primula forward."Good luck," she wished her. And then, realizing more needed to be said, started again. "Primula-" she fell silent.

_Don't worry if you don't get into Slytherin, I won't be disappointed. Make good decisions. Be nice. Don't forget to write me. _All these things ran through Pansy's mind, but she said none of them.

"I love you mum." Primula said before Pansy could manage to make any words come out of her mouth. "Will you be okay without me?"

"Of course," _not, _without Primula she'd be alone, miserable and alone. "I love you too."

"Tell daddy I love him too," she insisted and, begrudgingly, Pansy nodded.

With that, Primula boarded the train. Pansy gave a weak smile when the girl turned back to wave before disappearing with a book clutched in her right hand.

Eleven o' clock.

The train lurched from the station and parents began to Dissaparate. Pansy, with a final look at the train, turned away reluctantly and followed suit.

She arrived home, once again, to the incessant ringing of the telephone.

"Hello,"

"God, why don't you ever answer the phone?" It was Alec, and his irritated snarl was followed by a round of cursing directed towards someone standing next to him. Pansy wished that she'd invested in Caller ID when she decided to use Muggle technology.

"What do you want?" Unlike him she didn't hang up at the sound of his voice.

More cursing followed and then "_You're an idiot, James, a real idiot."_

"Hello…"

"Oh, right, I'll talk to you later, Pansy, I have to go." The phone clicked and she felt the insane urge to curse something, anything.

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**A/N: I'll be updating once a week because of school and such. Please review :) The big get together will occur in the next chapter :) **


	4. Reunion

**A/N: Thanks to Rising From The Flames, for betaing for me XD**

**Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

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**IV.**

Pansy Parkinson arrived at the Nott's mansion at three-fifteen as a way to spite her old friend. Daphne, who was wearing dark green robes, glared but then beckoned her in.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming, Pansy. And it wouldn't have been very nice if you had blown me off. " She said, and grabbing her friend's wrist began to pull her through the mansion.

"Uh-huh," she answered and glanced around. "You remodeled," she remarked coolly.

"Well, Theo did." Daphne pointed to the sculpted snakes that acted as posts for the stair rails. "I don't understand what his new fascination with snakes is, but I guess it's just him reverting back to the Slytherin days. Tori thinks he's having a mid-life crisis, but I assured her he's much too young."

"I thought she hated being called Tori," Pansy commented remembering the fit they had all endured in third year when Tracey had first tried out the name on Astoria.

"Well, I get away with it, and Draco does too, occasionally." She gave a little smirk as if she was remembering some recent episode of her sister's temper tantrum. "Anyway, come inside! Come inside!"

Pansy decided not to point out that she already was inside and instead silently followed Daphne into the sitting room where some of her guests were already seated.

"Pansy!" Tracey Davis, or rather Tracey Harper as she was now referred to, jumped out of her seat on the couch and threw her arms around Pansy. "I haven't seen you since…well a long time." She finished.

Tracey's husband gave a little smirk and mouthed _she's pregnant _over her head.

Draco sent Pansy a dark glare from his arm chair, and she guessed he was aware of her bet with his sister-in-law.

"Oh, be nice, Malfoy," Daphne perked up. "Pansy didn't make you come, Tori did."

"And look who isn't here," he commented dryly.

"Tori was busy, she said she was busy." Daphne pressed. "And besides, Tori wasn't in our year anyway, and Pansy said she wouldn't come unless you came."

"And I only said that because I was _positive_ he wasn't going to come." Pansy defended herself. "How was I supposed to know you still controlled your sister?" It was a much safer option – to call her Daphne's sister than _Tori, Astoria, Mrs. Malfoy _and warranting a correction from someone in the room.

"Well I'm glad you guys came!" Tracey smiled again – attempting to break the tension.

It worked with Daphne, and she once again became her jovial self, but Pansy and Draco continued to glare at each other until Goyle pulled his friend into a conversation and Millicent ushered her over.

"Hey, Gregory," Daphne asked. "Why didn't you bring your wife?"

"She's at home with Galvin," he explained and that line of conversation quickly died.

"Where's Zabini?" She tried again. "He promised he'd come."

"You should've threatened him." Adrian Pucey chuckled to himself. "Where's Theo?" He questioned.

"He's coming," Daphne explained looking dully stressed at the sound of her husband's name. "He had some business to attend to." She shot Draco a pointed look as she spoke, as if he knew something that Daphne desperately wanted to, but he avoided her glance.

Pansy took a seat on an empty arm chair as far away from Draco as possible, which left her sitting beside Malcolm Baddock.

"Did you hear about Blaise?" Tracey spoke up, but was instantly shot down by everyone with a chorus of _"yes!"_

Pansy, apparently, was the sole exception and had not heard about him. However, she decided not to bring up the subject. It was probably just a nasty rumor anyway, or a nasty truth considering it was Blaise.

"What about Blaise?" Pucey asked; apparently Pansy wasn't the only one.

"Well…" Tracey started. "He-"

"Merlin, Tracey, don't tell that awful story again." Millicent cut in. "Everyone knows Zabini is an ass, always has been. Always will be. End of story."

"I still want to know." Pucey cut in, and Millicent sighed but gave up.

"He almost got put in Azkaban for starting a fight with a Muggle. His mummy got him out of any problems though. She married the judge." Baddock decided to take the incentive and explain.

Pucey laughed.

"Not that story." Tracey gave an exasperated sigh. "The one about Mildred Blake."

"Who is Mildred Blake?" Even Daphne looked confused.

Pansy leaned back in her chair knowing exactly where this conversation would go.

"She was in your sister's year." Tracey explained.

"Slytherin?"

"Ravenclaw."

"What does she have to do with Zabini?"

"Will you let me tell the story? Tracey snapped and Harper took this moment to mouth _hormonal_. Draco saw it and smirked. Not that Pansy was looking at him.

"Well…" Tracey began, but there was a crack outside the door, and then a knock.

"Hold on."

Daphne got up and exited the room while Pansy turned to observe her old classmates. Millicent had lost quite a bit of weight, traded in dark hair for blonde hair, and learned how to smile. But as far as Pansy could tell she still wasn't married. Not that Pansy could really say anything in that field: her marriage had failed, after all.

Tracey, as her husband had pointed out, was pregnant. Not visibly, but emotionally. Still the couple looked happy together. That in itself made Pansy feel a bit ill.

Goyle, who'd, leaned over to say something to Draco, turned and looked at her now. He had tired eyes. That was the one thing she noticed about him, how tired his eyes were.

"Look who's here!" Daphne re-entered the room with a bright smile and a haughty looking Zabini behind her.

He looked the same – tall, dark, and handsome. Though, maybe a bit less apathetic and a bit more cruel. But then, she really could not determine that from simply looking at him; still, his eyes were glistening.

"Blaise!" Tracey jumped up. "I was just about to tell them about you and Mildred, and then you showed up. What a surprise! This is so exciting I –"

"What is there to tell?" He sounded bored. Maybe he was just as he'd always been. Maybe Pansy had misread him.

"You know, about how you married Mildred Blake and –"

"I never married her." He walked away from Daphne and took a place on an empty seat, in an area that appeared to be isolated from everyone else. "We never even got engaged."

Pansy leaned forward slightly, but made sure not to look interested.

"It was just a fling…" he continued, and this time he made eye contact with Pansy as if to remind her of _their_ fling. "Nothing more."

"Then why is Tracey so interested in telling it?" Daphne asked.

"Because of the twins. Kids make everything more _scandalous_," he drawled out the word. "Tell the story if you must, but I assure you, you're wasting your time."

"Why don't you tell it?" Tracey suggested, but not in a cruel way. Tracey was unable to be cruel.

"Fine," he rolled his eyes. "Listen closely, Malfoy. You're going next."

Draco stopped mid-yawn to glare at Zabini. Malfoy was old news, Pansy knew that. That meant something new had happened in his life. It also meant this was going to be sharing time. _Explain what you did with your life after the war. Tell us how you messed everything up. We're all Slytherins. We spent seven years together. You can tell us._

No, Pansy decided. She would not be telling anyone. She would listen attentively, nod occasionally, but she'd be damned if she offered information to any of them.

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**A/N: Hey, readers. Guess what. After three chapters they finally met. After four chapters the story is finally going to begin.**

**Chapter 5: Blaise**

**Please Review =D**


	5. Blaise Zabini

**A/N: So, everyone. The break I've taken from updating this story was so that I could organize how I wanted the chapters to go exactly. It's going to be a ten chapter story. Not that anyone really cares about that.**

**Thanks to Rising From The Flames, for betaing =D**

**Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

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_"Fine," Blaise rolled his eyes. "Listen closely, Malfoy. You're going next."_

_Draco stopped mid-yawn to glare at Zabini. Malfoy was old news, Pansy knew that. That meant something new had happened in his life. It also meant this was going to be sharing time. Explain what you did with your life after the war. Tell us how you messed everything up. We're all Slytherins. We spent seven years together. You can tell us._

_No, Pansy decided. She would not be telling anyone. She would listen attentively, nod occasionally, but she'd be damned if she offered information to any of them._

_-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

"It's not very interesting," Blaise insisted. But a small twitch pulled at his mouth. He liked the attention; Pansy could tell; it was visible from the twinkle in his slanted eyes. "Really, I don't even know how it happened…"

"Why don't you start with how you met Mildred?" Tracey suggested.

"At a restaurant, a Muggle restaurant nonetheless," Zabini grimaced. "I guess I was drunk." He was lying, Blaise had never been drunk a day in his life. He'd been wet and cold and his mother had just kicked him out of the house for a week, but he had not been drunk. "She worked there," he explained. "I don't know why…

_"My father died," she explained and with a quick glance at her distracted boss took a seat across from him. "We needed the money." She shrugged when she said it, as if she'd long since grown indifferent to the reality that was her life. "My mum's in a facility and I have to be able to keep her there._

_"What's your excuse for being in a Muggle restaurant?" She asked him. "I mean you're Blaise Zabini."_

_"My mum kicked me out of the house." He didn't really know why he was telling her this. Who was she anyway? What did she matter to him?_

_"Do you need somewhere to stay?" She asked._

"My mum hadn't given me any money, and she froze my Gringotts account. So I crashed at Mildred's place. Besides, she was…sort of attractive…I guess…"

_She was beautiful. Blonde curls, sapphire eyes, the longest eyelashes, and legs that seemed to go on forever._

"_You shouldn't stare at people, Zabini."_

"_I'm not staring," he disagreed and relaxed against the cushioned booth. "I'm observing." He looked her up and down again. "Shouldn't you be working?" And suddenly her manager was ringing the bell and giving her a fierce glare_

"There was nothing special about her though, not really."

_She had a glow about her; though Blaise wasn't going to tell her that._

_"I want to travel the world," her eyes lit up when she said that. "I want to write, for the Daily Prophet. Or maybe even a Muggle newspaper. Don't roll your eyes like that, Zabini. Muggles are intriguing!" She threw a half-empty glass of water in his face._

"…Like I said, I don't see why you're interested…" Blaise continued.

"Just tell us," Daphne pressed. "What happened?"

"The week ended." He explained with a shrug. _His mother stepped in._

"_I don't want you hanging out with a waitress, especially one that works with Muggles!" She was terrifying when she was angry. _

"_I'm not," Blaise lied not looking up from the book he was reading. "I'm just sleeping with her. Aren't I allowed to sleep with whoever I want to?"_

"_Not a waitress," his mother pressed. "She's after your money and the moment she gets enough of it she'll break your heart."_

"_Like you did."_

_His mother was all teeth and nails when she was angry. All yells and scratching. And her nails were like razors. When she scratched, there was blood. _

"_Stay away from her!"_

"So I moved on," he explained. Pansy wondered if anyone else could see through his lies

_He showed up at her flat one night and knocked. He__brought flowers, roses. He even brought a ring._

_"Hey," she had a glittering smile. A smile that was all life and beauty. "Thought I'd never see you again."_

_"I brought you something," he handed her the roses. "Can I talk to you?"_

_She let him in. He was always let in. The place was covered in clothing and books, maps and shoes and…_

_"Are you leaving?" He asked._

_"Yeah," it was only then that he noticed her eyes looked sad. "My mum died. I quit my job. I'm going to Spain."_

_"Spain?"_

_"Yeah, to see the bullfights. I know, another crazy Muggle fascination. You don't have to say it, Zabini. I know."_

_"You can call me Blaise," the words fell out of his mouth so he didn't have a chance to stop them._

_"Blaise, then." She smiled again. "And then after Spain I'm going to travel Europe and then I'll go to the Americas. From north to south. And once I've been to every country I'll go to Africa. I've always wanted to see the pyramids and South Africa has penguins. And from there –"_

_"You make all that waitressing?" It came out sarcastic but he didn't mean for it to._

_"No, I'll figure out the money as I go." She explained, and putting the flowers on the table grabbed onto his hands. "It will be wonderful!"_

"…I never saw her again…

_He kissed her. Right there in the middle of her junk filled flat._

"…I heard she might've gone to France…

_Somehow they ended up in her bed._

"…Maybe she went to Germany…

_And the next morning he almost gave Mildred the ring._

_"You should come with me," she said; eyes sparkling with the possibilities. "You'd like the bull fights."_

_"How do you know that?"_

_"They're fun. They're violent. Very Slytherin."_

_And he laughed. "Then why do you want to see them?"_

_"Because they're beautiful. Because the matador dances with the bull." She explained and her eyes glittered when she said it._

_And he could imagine it. The two of them in Spain watching a bull fight. A horrendous Muggle sport he couldn't understand. But with her…with her he'd be happy._

_"We could get married," he muttered it, but she heard him. "I mean…if you want to."_

_"You want to marry me?" her eyes widened in disbelief._

_"If I asked you to, would you?"_

_"No, Blaise." She almost sounded reluctant to give him that answer. "I couldn't."_

"…Either way I never saw her again…

_She couldn't marry him because of his mother. Because his mother had known he wasn't listening to her. He had the scars to prove it and Mildred's rejection. Because his mother had given Mildred money to leave the country and never come back. Because his mother was a self-serving woman who made sure her son would be by her side until she died._

"…Then one day I'm at our mansion when there is a knock on the door. And since my mother's asleep I go and answer it…"

_It was raining. Pouring rather, and she was standing outside the door to the mansion with two children beside her. They looked to be about two or three and weren't looking at him. They were looking at their mother, and she was crying._

_"You should come inside," it was more of a courtesy phrase than an invitation._

_She didn't move even though she was soaked through, so Blaise put up a charm to block the rain._

_"I thought you were a Ravenclaw," it was a joke, but it came out flat._

_"Blaise," she looked up at him with dead blue eyes. "This is Prince, and this is Allyson. She pointed to the two children. They're yours."_

"…There was no one there. Just two babies sitting on my porch, so I brought them inside until I could get someone to take them away. But my mother took to them. Thought they were cute. She likes children." Pansy sensed the bitterness in his voice.

"What happened to Mildred?" Daphne asked.

"I don't know…

_She died. She'd been sick when she brought him the children. And she died a few days later. He paid for her funeral though he didn't go, and he didn't take the children. He left them with his mother and spent a year in Moscow, and then a year in Paris. Two months in Venice. Three in Cairo. And then it was back in Russia, only this time Kiev. Anything to keep him away from England. Anything to keep him away from his mother. Anything to keep him away from 'them.'_

"…She's probably lying in a ditch somewhere."

"That's not the story I heard." Tracey interrupted suddenly.

"Probably because you heard a lie, and I just told you the truth. I met her, I slept with her, she got pregnant, dumped the kids on me, and then left."

There was a glint in his eye. Pansy had been right before, Blaise had become cruel. He leaned back in his chair. "Are you finished questioning me now?" He asked.

"I didn't see you at the train station today, Blaise." Daphne spoke up once again. "Were you there? Are the twins going to Hogwarts?"

"I don't know," he wasn't looking at her when he spoke. "I never see them. My mother wrote me a letter about them. I didn't open it." _It probably had a picture and he couldn't stand to see their faces._

"Well aren't you a splendid father." From the corner, Draco spoke up and Daphne sent him a death glare.

"Like you're any better, Draco. I spend more time with your son than you do!" She shot back accusingly.

Pansy smirked to herself. Though she doubted it was the proper thing to do. Still, the reality that Slytherin was ganging up on Malfoy did give her slight pleasure. Too much pleasure.

"Why don't you tell us all about _your_ doings after the war?" Blaise suggested, but Draco snorted.

"You already know. Why should I repeat myself?"

"Draco's right." Tracey gave a bit of a frown caused from having to relinquish the opportunity to gossip. "We all know what happened with Draco. It's not interesting."

"Not all of it," Zabini's gaze shifted to Goyle. "You know about your goon of a friend and –"

"Leave Astoria out of it!" Daphne's voice became dangerous. Dangerous and low.

Pansy had long since known Daphne's point of no forgiveness and it was Astoria, her baby sister. Anyone who even attempted to insult her did at their own peril.

"Cool it, Greengrass." Blaise smirked at the use of her maiden name. "No one's impugning your baby sister's honor. I just want to know what Goyle was doing at his house in the first place. And why he left. And _why the hell_ he thought he could get away with snogging your sister."

Draco made no move to answer, but Goyle's face burned red.

"My mother died," he explained. "They were letting me stay with them. That's it."

Blaise ignored him. "Well, Malfoy?"

"Like you said," Draco finally spoke up, sitting up as if knowing whatever words were about to come out of his mouth would warrant him an early invitation out of the house. "My _best_ mate wanted to f- … wanted to do my wife." He gave a smirk, took a long drink from his glass of fire-whiskey, and stood up. "I have to go see your husband." He looked at his sister-in-law and walked out of the room.

Daphne remained speechless for a long time, and then finally turned to look at Pansy. "I really hate him sometimes."

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**A/N:**

**Time to plug.**

**If you want to know more about Goyle's story read: 'A Consequence of the Past' it explains what happened with his mother and why he went to stay with Draco.**

**If you want to know what went down with Astoria and Goyle then you have to read the next chapter.**

**Please Review =D. Reviews are life. Favorites & Alerts without reviews make me angry.**


	6. Malfoy

**A/N: thanks to Rising From the Flames, for betaing**

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Chapter Six: Malfoy

Draco Malfoy found the office easily enough. Having only been there once he had had to navigate a few halls twice, but he'd made it, and here he was. It was empty. The deep green walls held an odd sort of comfort for him, and the snakes hissed their welcome. He felt like a student again; a first year captivated by the splendor of _his_ house. Because there was history in Slytherin and ancient family lineages of untarnished blood, of prestige, an aristocratic line rested in that house. And he, Draco Malfoy, was a part of it.

_Blood purity_ it was a word he'd never imaged would lose its power. _Pureblood _it had always been a word that set him apart, that made him special. But now…?

'_He has to go to Hogwarts.'_ Astoria had insisted. There was no talking her out of it. No convincing her that _maybe_ Durmstrang would be better for their son. '_No _Scorpius _has to go to Hogwarts.' _And he'd stopped arguing; because she didn't understand. Blood purity had never meant anything to her, at least nothing more than '_marry a Pureblood or your grandparents will cut you out of their will.' _Besides, Hogwarts meant acceptance, didn't it? And there Scorpius could become a Mudblood lover, if he wanted to. And Hogwarts meant Slytherin, and Scorpius could – would – get into Slytherin. And then he'd understand. Understand about lineage and history. He would be proud of who he was, if he just had the chance…

"It's a great place to reminisce, isn't it?" Nott's voice appeared behind him.

"Depressing," Draco lied. But he didn't turn around. "Why _did _you remodel your house?"

"You know why."

"The League of Serpents," Draco gave a bitter laugh and turned to face Nott.

"Have you changed your mind?"

"About putting my son in your cult? No."

"Because you want him to be better than you…or because you're afraid of Astoria?"

"I told you why."

"And I still don't believe you."

Draco turned away from the man, his brother-in-law, and looked up at the portrait; the original Death Eaters and the man who still haunted his nightmares.

"Well, if you're not here because you reconsidered why are you here?" Theodore asked, knowing a lost battle when he was faced with one.

"I'm waiting out the rest of Daphne's…'get-together' the one you still haven't shown up for." He took a seat.

"I don't like…stuff like that. You know that." Nott frowned; remembering that he had promised to attend. "What made you run out?"

"Story-time," Draco explained and the other man understood. "Blaise wanted to hear about Goyle. It's not a story worth repeating." He reached across the desk and poured himself a glass of mead.

"Are any stories?"

"Only ones you're afraid to repeat." Draco's insinuation was not lost on Nott.

"Only those," the man stated; however, he put forth no agreement or disagreement.

Lifting the glass to his lips, Draco took a long drink and leaned back his head against the chair. "I invited him…" he started to explain, not knowing if Nott was listening. Not caring. "It was Tori's idea, but she got tired of him after a month. Rightly I suppose, he had overstayed his welcome." Another long drink; of course she was right, she was always right, about everything.

"_I didn't think he would be here this long, Draco." Her forehead creased when she was frustrated. "I thought you were going to let him stay here just until he was back on his feet. It's been over a month. He has to go!"_

"_He's not a dog, Astoria; I can't just put him back on the street." It was the same argument he always used when he battled himself on the issue. "He doesn't have anyone else."_

"_I'm not saying put him on the street," she reached for her green Healer's robe as she spoke, "just help him get a job and house and –"_

"_He's afraid of being alone," Draco explained. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."_

_Her face suddenly changed. The crease on her forehead relaxed and she almost looked calm. There was a different sort of glint to her eyes, not annoyed but sympathetic. Sympathy, it was the last thing he needed. But maybe he'd sounded pathetic._

"_All right, Draco." She picked up her wand and stuck it in her robes. "All right." It was as much of a consensus as he could have hoped for – a stale mate; they wouldn't talk about it now._

Draco poured another glass of mead. This time he let it fill to the rim of the cup before he lifted it to his lips and drank out of the glass again. Nott walked over and sat down beside him reaching for his own glass of mead.

"Don't you have anything stronger?" Malfoy asked, but Theodore just shrugged.

"Not in here."

Draco frowned, but didn't press the issue. "You know, for a few years I thought the only reason Astoria married me was to be a rebel."

Theodore laughed. "She would have married a Mudblood if she wanted to rebel."

"And then I thought it had to be the money."

"Right, because the Greengrasses don't have any money." Theodore rolled his eyes.

"I forgot you were living off Daphne," Draco took another sip and received a glare from Nott. However, there was no denial.

"So, what did you decide?" Nott asked, apparently interested in the new focus of conversation. The non-Goyle related conversation.

Malfoy shrugged. "Maybe, she felt an ex-Death Eater would be an enormous asset to her career goals." The sardonic comment hid what he was really feeling – _maybe she actually loved me_. A past tense love of course.

_She had a natural prettiness about her. It was something he did not realize until she was sobbing; blotchy face and watery eyes – her head buried in his neck. And all he could really think was that she was really very pretty._

"_You have to tell him to come back, Draco. You have to. It's my fault he left. It's my fault! You have to do something!" Her arms wrapped completely around his neck while he assured her that it wasn't her fault - whether or not it was true__– and all of the other things that would make her feel better. Not that they worked._

"_I'll get him to come back don't worry. I'll bring him back, Tori." And she did not hex him for the nickname she loathed so much. She didn't say a word._

_And he did go after Goyle. In the pouring rain he chased the man until he finally caught up with him and got him to stop._

"_You don't have anywhere to go, Goy- Gregory. You should come back to stay with us."_

"_Because she wants me to?"_

"_Because you're my friend." It was a true fact, whether or not it was true in the current situation._

"_Because she feels guilty." The rain had slicked his hair to his cheeks. "She shouldn't. I left because I had to. Because I couldn't stay any longer."_

"_This isn't about Astoria!" There were no signs of the rain letting up, and no indication that Goyle would change his mind, because he'd changed and he wasn't willing to do whatever Draco wished. Not anymore._

"_It is." His voice fell to almost a whisper when he said it and a chill rippled through Malfoy; a chill from being out in the cold too long. "Everything's about her. You're out here because she wants you to be, and I'm leaving because she wants me gone even if she won't say it."_

"You know…" Draco took another sip of mead, not pausing to wonder how many he'd taken. "Goyle had gotten a bit smarter. Maybe because he'd taken to reading Astoria's books, maybe not. But he'd gotten smarter." Another sip and Nott pushed the bottle away from Draco Malfoy. "He kissed her. I don't know what made him think he could have her, or what made him think he was even in her league, but he kissed her and she rejected him. I never got the whole story. Goyle muttered something about love and friendship and guilt and him and me and Tori and a whole bunch of other nonsense. In that way, he never really stopped being his old self." He stared down at the empty glass in front of him. "And Tori, well I guess she forgot about it. Maybe she didn't. There were too many things to focus on after that, and my best mate being in love with my wife wasn't worth dwelling on." Draco paused, and then he suddenly stood up.

"I don't think they're finished," Nott answered his unsaid question. "I don't think they'll ever be finished."

"Right," but Draco did not sit down.

Outside of the Nott mansion there was a crack.

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**A/N: Please Review. **

**I'll try my best to post the next chapter in two weeks**


	7. The League of Serpents

**A/N: Thanks to Rising From the Flames, for betaing**

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Chapter Seven: The League of Serpents

Daphne must not have been expecting anyone else because she gave a start at the sound of the crack. And then her face broke out into a smile, only to quickly turn into a frown. It was followed by a murmured; "what is she doing here?" Ignoring Baddock, who was talking to her about something inconsequential, and disregarding Zabini's comments about "Malfoy coming back," she started out of the room. Malfoy entered a moment later, causing Zabini to smile, and behind him was Theodore Nott. Neither took a seat instead choosing to stand at the end of the group. Nott looked particularly uncomfortable, Pansy noted. But there was nothing new about that; he'd always hated groups, though he'd gotten along with Draco at Hogwarts. She guessed that Malfoy had disappeared to Nott's hideout when he had left.

"Guess who's here?" Daphne entered the room again dragging her very reluctant younger sister behind her.

Tracey squealed, jumping out of her seat and hugging the woman she'd adopted as her child in their third year, or Astoria's first.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Another squeal.

The smile Astoria offered Tracey was tense at best.

"It's nice to see you, Tracey." She said and then turned to Daphne. "I'm really sorry, I only stopped by because –"

"It doesn't matter why." Daphne interrupted. "You're here now, so you should stay."

"I can't Daffy. Tristy's tutor is coming over and I have to pick her up from her grandparents' because she _really_ wants me to be there and –"

"She's eight, Astoria. If nothing's happened yet nothing's going to."

"That's not true. She's made a lot of progress." Astoria's tone reached a point of desperation. "Besides, I have to be at work by six, and – well I don't have time, Daffy, I'm sorry." She finished quickly.

"But Theo was going to make a big announcement." Daphne pressed. "Since he's finally out here maybe all know what he's been up to."

There was something in the tone of her voice that made Astoria pause. She glanced at Daphne, then at Nott, and finally at Draco. With a sigh, she spoke; "I guess I could stay for a few minutes."

Daphne smiled triumphantly, but Pansy just leaned back in her chair wondering what this _big __announcement_ was.

Nott made no effort to make an announcement. In fact he just leaned over slightly and whispered something to Draco.

"Does that mean we're not hearing from Draco?" Zabini asked, and an odd expression flashed across Astoria's eyes. It was a look that pleaded, though it was not directed at anyone in the room.

"That would be a no," Draco spoke up. "I have no intentions of sharing my life story."

"Then surely Tori would do us the honor." It was a nickname with a purpose; to annoy her. Pansy knew that.

It worked.

"What is it that you want to know, Zabini?" She spit out the words. It was an improvement to the temper tantrums they were all used to, back when she was eleven. "I have nothing to say. My life story isn't that interesting, but you know that. It's consisted of working however hard I've had to in order to get to the top, and now I'm almost there." Pansy was sure the story of Astoria's career was not what Zabini was interested in hearing.

Zabini looked like he was about to say something else, but there was a look in her eyes that stopped him.

"What was it that Theo was going to tell us?" Millicent Bulstrode interjected.

"The League of Serpents," Nott said. Everyone looked confused. Everyone, except Draco. "It's a club, for pureblood boys. They will receive an invitation at thirteen. The goal is to stop the mixing of blood…" he sent Pansy a pointed look. "We won't be doing anything illegal. We won't be forming a neo-Death Eater organization. We just want to make sure that interbreeding stops happening. I understand that some of you will be reluctant to allow your sons to join such an organization, but I impress upon you the urgency of our situation. There are not many purebloods left, and if we don't act now we will only continue down the path to becoming obsolete - a group of blood traitors and inter-breeders that will do nothing but shame our parents. We are trying to preserve what we have. We do not wish to cleanse the world of mudblood filth; we only want to separate ourselves from it. This is a new beginning, not a repetition of the past."

There was eloquence in Nott's speech that Pansy had never heard before. A measure of passion that flared in his eyes as he spoke. The words appealed to her, not because of what the organization would do for her. But because of what it could prevent. Pansy's mistake would not be repeated – a pureblood girl falling for a muggle. Of course she loved her daughter, loved her more than anyone in the world, but she regretted the decisions that led to Primula and she couldn't…wouldn't…let that happen again.

As for the rest of the room, the place was in an uproar.

"I'm going home." Tracey spoke first as she stood up. Harper followed with partial reluctance, even though all they currently had was a daughter, Jackie, who was eleven. They did have a son on the way. And even though Tracey was technically a half-blood, everyone, including Nott, conveniently forgot that.

"I'll see you guys," he muttered.

"I think it's a good idea." Goyle disagreed with Tracey's unsaid words. He had two sons; sons everyone knew would amount to nothing without good and powerful friends.

"Well I don't." Astoria took the opportunity to speak. "We live in a world that's moving forward, we should too."

It was odd that she should speak out against it, Pansy noted. Astoria, who had a son that was a model pureblood. The only one in the entire room who was married to a past Death Eater was the first to verbally disagree with Nott's idea. It seemed, to Pansy, to be surreal.

"I agree…" Pucey cut in. "With Goyle."

"I think it's ridiculous," Zabini spoke up. He did have a son, though he had never specified the boy's exact blood status, or anything else about him, really.

"And sexist," Bulstrode added to Zabini's comment. "And Astoria's right. The world's moving forward. Secret organizations are outdated, so are purebloods."

"It's dangerous," Baddock brought up. "If the ministry found out –"

"They won't. And there's nothing they can do. We're not doing anything illegal!" Nott interrupted him.

"Just wrong." Daphne finally inserted her opinion. "The war is over. Things have been different and they can continue to be different. I planned this so that we could catch-up, not so that we could become our parents."

"I support it." Pansy's voice acted without her command. "I think it's a good idea."

The tension continued to build and the attention had left Nott. Bulstrode was arguing with Pucey and Baddock was trying to prove his point to Goyle. Astoria's eyes shot out cold rage at her husband, but he avoided her glare. Malfoy had said nothing. No affirmative, no negative. Indecision was weak. Nott did not seem concerned with Malfoy's lack of an opinion or the arguing going on amongst Daphne's invitees. He seemed to be above it all, looking down as they battled it out and knowing what the answer would be before anyone came to it.

"What do you think, Malfoy? It was Baddock who spoke.

"I'm not offering my son to any secret organization, but," _But._ A word that cancels out everything said previously.

Nott smiled.

"But, the theoretical idea doesn't seem so bad." He finally managed to get out. "What Nott and my father intend to build would help strengthen a sense of pride in being a pureblood. Something I think the next generation is going to lose."

"This is ridiculous." Astoria's words shadowed Zabini's. "I have to go pick up Tristiana, Daphne."

She headed out the door and Dissaparated before Draco seemed to comprehend what he had just said.

~o0o~

Astoria arrived at Malfoy Manor, the home of her in-laws, trying to calm her fury. Truthfully, she hoped Lucius Malfoy was home. There was a very large part of her that wanted to kill him. Tristiana opened the door for her with a wide smile.

"Mummy, I thought you weren't going to come pick me up and –" She stopped mid-sentence to hug her mother, and Astoria suddenly felt a bit happier.

In all truthfulness she had long since come to terms with the realization that Tristiana might never perform magic. And she finally understood what her mother had tried to explain to her all those years ago – about blood – '_the more you mix the same thing together, Tori. The more likely it is that something's going to mess up_.' _Pureblood_, it was a ridiculous notion with horrific consequences. It was for that reason that she had checked the family trees so meticulously when she'd considered marrying Draco.

'_Impossible_,' Daphne had determined. '_We're not related to them. We're not on the Black family tree. Besides, the Blacks and Malfoys have been British from the beginning. Mum's family is German. It's impossible, Tori. You have nothing to worry about.'_

She'd been wrong of course. Pureblood meant pureblood. They all came from the same place, somehow. And love wasn't enough for a magical child. Scorpius had come out '_practically perfect_,' Narcissa always commented. '_He looks just like his father.'_

Tristiana had been '_a beautiful baby.'_ And Astoria knew, from the moment she was born, that Draco liked her better. Even when she reached six and had not performed any magic he still glowed when he saw her.

And Astoria had tried; she'd tried hard to get the girl to do something. Kits and tutors, books, and had even let Lucius try to scare her into doing magic; nothing worked. She had a career to conquer and a son as well, there just wasn't time.

So she started buying her Muggle toys and Muggle books and even looked into really expensive private schools for her. But then her parents stepped in. And Astoria's parents, who never expressed any hate for Muggles, nearly died when they found out what she was planning to do with _her_ daughter.

The tutors had come back. And at first there had been nothing, but then there was a glimmer, a pink spark that shot out of her hand out of anger. Her parents were satiated, and Astoria's hope returned.

~o0o~

By the time Daphne managed to get everyone to calm down the only people left were Goyle, Bulstrode, Pucey, and Pansy – who'd only stayed because she felt bad for her old friend. Nott had left shortly after making his big announcement, and everyone else had either stormed out or drifted towards the door during the arguments.

Daphne, a look of frustration on her face, took a seat and crossed her ankles. She chewed at her lip, something she always did when she was particularly uncomfortable, and then she sighed.

"It wasn't always like this. It used to be different," she paused. "I'm sorry."

For a moment, Pansy thought she was going to cry. Instead she took a deep breath. Her heart thundered against her chest, but she suppressed the feeling with a look at the misery in her old friend's eyes.

"I have a story to tell…"

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**A/N: Please Review. I know I haven't touched this story in a long time, so I'd love to hear how I did in getting back "in the groove" concrit appreciated. =D**


	8. Better Be Slytherin

**Chapter Eight: Better Be Slytherin**

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"I met Alec on a Tuesday." Pansy fumbled with her hands as she spoke and started to twist the ring she hadn't gotten rid of after her divorce. "I was at a Muggle pub. You know how it was after the war, of course you do. Some of us couldn't go to the normal places anymore. We were the losers; after all, some of the restaurants wouldn't even serve us. That's how I ended up in a Muggle pub."

Pansy sighed at the memory.

It had been snowing, and the little white pellets had started to melt in her hair the moment she pushed open the door to the mostly empty pub. She'd taken at a table away from the bar and had ordered coffee because she'd gotten used to drinking it, and she appreciated the steam. The drink was bitter on her tongue, but it warmed her face so she drank it without adding sugar cubes, and she'd kept her eyes on the window that fogged as the snow continued to fall.

"He worked there," Pansy explained. "He was paying his way through university, and he was a Muggle, so he didn't recognize me. He didn't know anything about the war. He was safe."

His full name was Alec Davison, and when he came to hand Pansy her bill she noticed that everything about him was geometric. His cheekbones jutted at an angle that could have been measured with a protractor and his chin formed a perfect square. His nose, straight down his face, angled in at sixty degrees and his eyes were symmetric across the y-axis that she drew from the top of his forehead to the bend of his chin. His eyes were green, rimmed with yellow, and they reminded her of the way the sun reflected against the chlorophyll of the leaves.

He'd smiled at her as she'd fumbled to find Muggle money in her purse, and then he'd taken the bill back.

"It's my treat," he'd said.

They'd gone on their first date a week later.

"Everything was perfect between us," Pansy explained. "He didn't know about me or about wizards and witches at all, and I started to change. The things I'd believed during the war, and the prejudices I'd been raised with, I started to think I was wrong."

That had been the trouble.

When had it been? Pansy couldn't really remember how long they'd been dating before she'd introduced Alec to her world. But she couldn't forget the look of disgust on his face when she showed him magic. He'd been raised conservatively and practically, Pansy's world distorted his schema and he hated that. So she'd given it up.

"I denied myself because I was in love with him. I wanted him to accept me. All magic and wizards and Hogwarts had ever given me was pain, and he offered…"

He'd offered a ring. Alec Davison had offered her a ring that sparkled in the sunlight and a few months later they'd gotten married at a courthouse. He hadn't wanted to waste money on a fancy wedding, and Pansy didn't know anyone she could invite who would come witness her become a blood traitor.

"We got a divorce before Primula was born. Or, we started the process of divorcing before she was born at least. We were too different."

Pansy had used magic. It had been a stupid little trick to wash dishes because she was pregnant and tired and didn't feel like putting in the energy. But he'd seen it, and Pansy had seen the look again. She knew that, to his core, he hated what she was even as he claimed to love her. So she had to leave him.

They split amicably according to the official documents. There were no fights for property or custody because by now Alec had gotten his dream job, and it was going to take him all over the world. But, unofficially, their split left Pansy broken as she struggled to find her place in the world that she had left and had been utterly changed by the war. A place where she still wasn't sure she belonged anymore.

Pansy looked around the room at her classmates, as she finished her story, the ones who had remained after Nott's interruption.

"I guess we're all that's left."

She stood up and walked to the door, not even bothering with a goodbye, and dissaparated.

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**A/N: Has it been like a year since I've updated this story? I really don't know. If you don't mind, drop a review or even just PM me. Also, vote on my poll. **


	9. The Ones Who Remain

**A/N: The final chapter. Well, that took forever and an eternity. **

**Chapter Nine: The Ones Who Remain**

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_Dear Mother and Father,_

_I'm writing you to tell you that I have been sorted into Slytherin. Hogwarts is beautiful, and I even have made some friends. Tell Tristy I said hi._

_Your son,_

_Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy_

* * *

_Dear Mum and Father,_

_I got sorted into Slytherin as did Scorpius. I'm looking after him like I promised, but since he is a loner it's kind of hard. He already has an enemy – McLaggen – the boy tried to hex him. Some prefects stopped it, but I'm veering Scorpius away from Gryffindors – especially the Potter-Weasley clan. As for myself, I'm greatly enjoying this school though it is overrun with Mudbloods. Write me soon._

_Your son,_

_Carl Nott_

* * *

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_Slytherin._

_Your son,_

_Gregory Goyle III_

* * *

_Dear Dad,_

_Prince won't write you; though he did write grandmother, but I'll tell you anyway. He was sorted into Slytherin. I was sorted into Ravenclaw, like mum. The sorting hat considered Slytherin for me, but I chose Ravenclaw. He must have agreed because that is where I am now. I know you don't write, but please write us, or at least me._

_Your daughter,_

_Allyson Zabini_

* * *

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I was sorted into Slytherin. Hopefully, I'll make lots of friends._

_Your daughter,_

_Jackie Harper_

* * *

Pansy Parkinson, a bowl of soup in one hand and a glass of mead in the other, sat on the counter waited for an owl. She didn't care what it said. Even if Primula had been sorted into Gryffindor Pansy could accept it, but she needed something to accept; a letter, a sorting.

After leaving Daphne's she had wandered around the city for a while, unable to brush away the feeling that now that she'd told Daphne her story she'd given something of herself away. For some reason it had meant so much to her to hold onto the secret of Alec. The image of his face and the memory of kissing him for the first time; Pansy had kept all of it in her heart. But now she'd released it. The separation between Magical Pansy and Muggle Pansy forever gone.

The telephone rang; high and shrill it cut through Pansy's thoughts, but she ignored it until the third ring.

"Hello."

"Hey, Pansy." It was Alec, and he sounded…nice. "I was calling because I'll be in London next week, and I wanted to talk to you."

About…"

"Can I stop by?"

Pansy didn't answer. She held the phone out in front of her and stared at it before pressing it back against her ear. There was silence.

"Yeah, sure, Alec, just stop by whenever you get back."

In that moment, a deep chocolate owl came flying through the window. Pansy hung up the phone without checking to see if Alec was finished and took the note from the owl.

_Dear mum,_

_I miss you already. Dad too. I wanted to be sorted into Slytherin like you, but I was sorted into Ravenclaw. Although it is not where I wanted to be I will try to make the best of it. I have not made any friends, but the other students in my house are nice, and I met a girl on the train. She was sorted into Gryffindor so I am not sure if we will be friends. _

_I promise I will write you every week._

_Love,  
Primula_

_PS. Garfield misses you too._

Pansy closed the letter, and she smiled.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading**


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